If you are unable to settle your dispute, you must seek the assistance of an attorney and file a lawsuit. Your lien rights will generally expire if a lawsuit to foreclose is not filed within 2 years of the last day you were able to file a lien under the rules, or within 1 year after completion, termination, or abandonment of the work under the original contract under which the lien is claimed, whichever is later.

The County Property Records Office assigns a “Document number” to the lien previously recorded. This number must be included in the document along with the project address (and/or legal property description), the name and company information of the entity that had the lien filed and is now removing. If you created the lien affidavit with Texas Easy Lien, you will just need your Document number to create your lien release, all other information required has been saved with your project.

It is the document where a subcontractor, sub-subcontractor or supplier is stating that the job agreed in a contract (oral or written) has been completed and the payment has not been made. The surety (bonding company) is now liable for such debt. Bond claims are required to send a notice that includes a sworn statement of account, which must also be notarized. Both documents are included when you prepare the bond claim with texaseasylien.com.

The county appraisal district websites are free and can provide you with the project owner’s name, mailing address, and legal description of the property. Make sure to search the real property records and not the business/personal property records. To locate a county appraisal district website search online by typing (county name) Texas tax appraisal district website. For example: “Harris County, Texas, tax appraisal district website” or “Harris CAD.” Then select their “Property Search” link and enter owner’s name and/or street address to search for property information. Make sure you have identified the correct legal name of the owner of the property, it could also be a company name. Finding property information in the tax appraisal websites is sometimes difficult and although having the legal description in the lien documents is preferred, if you know the actual street address of the project, you may use that instead and your lien will still be valid.  

Condominiums and spec homes are only residential construction projects if they have been purchased by the person owner who is going to occupy them live there before the beginning of construction. In other words, if the owner of a lot hires a contractor to build a house but is not going to live there, then it is considered to be a commercial construction project. But if the owner of the lot will actually live in the house under construction, then it is considered to be a residential construction project.